Conscious/Conscientious

It - this rabbit hole - started with a song that was on the tip of my memory's tongue. The song was part of an instrumental mood station that Almighty Google offered up for the 'mood' of working: epic film scores. Who doesn't want the word "epic" in the title of anything...let alone the purposeful intent of "designing for a moment" - a term shamelessly borrowed from a friend and fellow journeyer, Jason Osburn. Typing along to the beautifully recognizable crescendos of "The Imperial March" and music from Batman Begins, the song "Sunshine (Adagio in D Minor)" stops me from my work. Instantly familiar but not from the movie for which it is epically scored. It took the better half of a day, crowdsource help from the brilliantly everything Jason Croft, and a trike ride around my neighborhood before the context dawned on me: "Sunshine" was the background music - BACKGROUND music mind you - for a YouTube video I listened to for particularly grueling training runs back in my marathon days. Trivia angst relieved, I watched the video again. Spoiler: grit, determination, and hard work win the day.

However, in the end, the exponential or broadcast-worthy value of these imperatives is more than owning them for obvious personal benefit; it's the one to many effect of giving those around us permission own their greatness. A decade ago, this video was a personal banner about being gritty and digging deep when it was hard. Today, the back end amplification of empowering others to be in their greatness resonated with me at a visceral level.
And here's why. A remarkable someone recently asked me what I thought my strengths were - particularly as they relate to our Venn diagram of community. Caring enough to ask that question was remarkable to me - a testament to the power of giving people 'permission' to be authentically great. My initial response was that my talents are what others are able to recognize and perhaps see in themselves. Surrounding myself with individuals who are authentic, congruent, good...makes me feel safe and empowers me to be a better and most real version of myself - which then encourages others to do the same.

Either side of that equation begs the question, to me at least: who are we without each other? do our strengths matter if no one is there to recognize and benefit from them? if we can help each other like ourselves a little more, and by extension others - can you imagine the shift?

I've been chewing on this for about a week now - not sure what the purpose would be in sharing this particular slice of Utopian stuff in my head (the irony is not lost on me). A week ago, I just had to get these words out of my head. Today, I think it's simply a testament to and an invitation for conscientious community: to be real and be inspired where we are - and become better versions of ourselves in the process.